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Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Word of the Week: Sous Vide

Some chefs believe sous-vide cooking will become as common as microwaving.

It's Wednesday and it's Word of the Week again. I want to introduce you to this Sous Vide machine that I saw in the culinary school. Sous Vide, pronounced su'vid, means "under vacuum" when literally translated from French. The machine vacuum-seals food which is then placed in a hot water bath at below-boiling temperatures for an extended period of time. This allows food to be completely cooked while retaining moisture and flavors. The results are shockingly tender and perfectly cooked food.

The real magic in sous vide is the evenness of the cooking, and you can get a medium-rare steak with top-to-bottom sexy pink that melts in the mouth.

Because the machine is expensive and used only in professional kitchens, many people with some creativity have developed their own home version and are enjoying some good success.

Since I first learned about sous vide, I know I am going to succumb to it one day. Check videos on YouTube if you are interested. "Anyone can do it" is the line that struck a big chord with me. Click here to see my home-made sous vide duck breast, also featured on Asian Food Channel Facebook page.

All you need is a ziploc, a slow cooker or cast iron pot and an accurate thermometer.

Word of the Week features a culinary term each week, usually on a Wednesday. I picked up this practice from the culinary school and have continued with this learning journey after I graduated. See previous Word of the Week:

Sous vide is a lot like that. In some ways, sous vide is the next obvious kitchen tool, like its predecessors the microwave, the convection oven and the induction cook top. It's a unique tool that could easily go, from exotic to commonplace, in just a few years.